cooking range assembly and monolithic drip pan

ABSTRACT

A cook top includes a one-piece drip pan beneath all burners for collecting spillage and drips originating at the burners. Burner assemblies having burners therein are located by and supported on the drip pan. Grates are provided above the burners and have chamfered flame-facing surfaces.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cooking appliances and, moreparticularly, to gas-fired cooking ranges and commercial cook tops andthe assemblies therefore.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A variety of styles and configurations for cooking ranges have been usedin both residential and commercial kitchens. Gas-fired ranges with opencooking flames are widely accepted. A basic design for a gas-fired cooktop includes a frame supporting an outer skin and internal componentsincluding one or more burner assemblies and a gas manifold supplying gasto the one or more burner assemblies. A grate is provided above theburner assembly, with a drip bowl around the burner assembly forcatching spills or boil-overs from cooking vessels used above thegrates. A drip pan assembly including a variety of pieces welded orotherwise fitted together is provided beneath the burner assemblies tocatch and retain overflowing from the drip bowls. Multi-component burnerassemblies secured to the frames are known.

Commercial kitchens commonly experience food spills and boil overs inand around the range from foods being prepared on the range. While thedrip bowls around the burner are successful in catching and retainingsome of the spillage, it is common that spillage will flow over orthrough the drip bowls and accumulate on the structures beneath theburner assemblies. This structure, sometimes referred to as the“bathtub.” is known to be provided as a fabrication from multiple pieceswelded, riveted or otherwise fastened together.

Sanitation, safety and efficient burner performance require that thecook top be kept clean. In commercial kitchens, daily disassembly andcleaning may be required. It is known for the grates and drip bowlsaround the burners to be readily removable from the frame. However, itis known for the burner assemblies to be physically attached orconnected within the range, with removal being difficult. Further,because the bathtub beneath the burners has been provided as afabrication of multiple components, cleaning is difficult in that ridgesand seams catch and retain spillage and are difficult to clean.

What is needed in the art is a range or cook top that can be assembledand disassembled quickly and easily in a precise and accurate manner forefficient cleaning and safe operation. From the drip pan or bath tubout, components should be supported one on the other and preciselylocated without the need for fasteners or complex procedure forre-installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a cooking range assembly with aone-piece, monolithic bathtub having sides defining a retention zone forcollecting spillage. Burner assemblies, burner bowls and cooking gratesare supported one above the other and located without the need forfasteners to physically attach one to the other.

In one aspect thereof, the present invention provides a cooking rangewith a monolithic drip pan defining a seamless reservoir having a bottomand sides, with curved transitions between the bottom and the sides andbetween adjacent sides. A plurality of burners is provided above thedrip pan, and at least one grate supports cooking vessels.

In another aspect thereof, the present invention provides a drip pan fora cooking range having a plurality of burner assemblies. The drip panhas a monolithic body of sufficient size to span an area beneath theburner assemblies. The monolithic body defines a seamless reservoir forcollecting spillage. The reservoir includes a bottom, sides and curvedtransitions between the bottom and the sides, and between adjacentsides.

In a further aspect thereof, the present invention provides a cookingrange with a frame and a drip pan secured to the frame. The drip pan hasa bottom and sides defining a reservoir for collecting spillage. Thebottom and sides are a monolithic, seamless structure from a singlepiece of material, and have curved transitions between the bottom andthe sides and between adjacent sides. A burner assembly is located byand supported on the pan; and a removable grate is supported by theframe above the burner.

In yet another aspect thereof, the present invention provides a gratefor supporting a cooking vessel above a burner. The grate is an opennetwork of vessel supporting elements. Flame-facing surfaces of theelements are chamfered. At least some of the elements are arms havingdistal ends arranged with respect to each other to define a circle ofwhich the arms are non-radial.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon review of the following detaileddescription, claims and drawings in which like numerals are used todesignate like features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking range assembly having amonolithic drip pan in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cook top for the range shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the monolithic drip pan for the cook topshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second form of the drip pan installedin a range;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cook top assembly of the presentinvention, shown in a partial state of assembly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 5, but depicting a furtherstate of assembly;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of yet a further state of assembly for thecook top shown in the preceding Figs.;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the modified form of drip pan;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a restrictor plate for a burner assembly of thecook top;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of one advantageous form of grate inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an elevational end view of one of the vessel supporting armsof the grate shown in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a top view of an installed drip pan, but with the burnerassemblies removed.

Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangements of the components setforth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Theinvention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orbeing carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that thephraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use herein of“including”, “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompassthe items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well asadditional items and equivalents thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more specifically to the drawings and to FIG. 1 inparticular, numeral 10 designates a cooking range having a monolithicdrip pan 12 (FIG. 3) in accordance with the present invention, as partof a cook top 14. Range 10 further includes an oven 16. The presentinvention is useful for commercial ranges and residential ranges, andthe particular outward configuration of range 10 shown in FIG. 1 ismerely exemplary.

Range 10 is a gas fired range, having gas circuit 18 (FIG. 4) forsupplying combustible gas to the various cooking locations on cook top14, and to heat the interior of oven 16. As those skilled in the artwill understand readily, gas circuit 18 has a plurality of flow controlvalves 20 for initiating, terminating and controlling the rate of gasflow to burner locations on cook top 14.

Range 10 has a frame 22 for supporting cook top 14, oven 16 and avariety of outer panels 24. Range 10 is supported on casters 26 by whichrange 10 can be moved for cleaning the area around the range.

Cook top 14 includes monolithic drip pan 12 and various structuresthereabove for providing individual cooking locations on the upperportion of range 10. Accordingly, cook top 12 includes a plurality ofburner assemblies 30, and a network of grates 32 above the burnerassemblies for supporting cooking vessels (not shown) such as pots,pans, griddles and the like on cook top 14.

Drip pan 12 is a monolithic structure formed by stamping or the likefrom a single piece of material. Drip pan 12 has a bottom 34 and aplurality of sides 36 defining an open top reservoir 38 for accumulatingspillage and the like originating thereabove. Formed by stamping or thelike, drip pan 12 has curved transitions 40 formed between bottom 34 andsides 36. Further, curved transitions 42 are provided between adjacentsides 36. Thus, with curved transitions 40, 42 between sides 36 andbottom 34 and between adjacent sides 36, monolithic drip pan 12 can becleaned easily by wiping. Spillage accumulating within reservoir 38 isreadily removed because of the smooth features defining reservoir 38,with no seams, overlaps or sharp corners from which spillage would bedifficult to clean.

Bottom 34 defines one or more intermediate projections 44 risingtherefrom within reservoir 38 for supporting burner assemblies 30.Curved transitions 40 are provided also between projection 44 and bottom34. One or more side 36 and projection 44 have depressions 46 thereinfor receiving and locating burner assemblies 30. In the exemplaryembodiment, a single elongated projection 44 is provided having aplurality of depressions 46 for locating the three-burner assemblies 30shown. However, those skilled in the art should readily understand that,rather than a single elongated projection 44, a plurality of individualprojections 44 can be used, each having only one or several depressions46 for locating a single burner assembly 30.

FIG. 8 illustrates a second embodiment of monolithic drip pan 48 havingsimilar sides 36 and bottom 34. However, bottom 34 in drip pan 48defines an outlet 50 from which fluids that accumulate in reservoir 38can be drained. Bottom 34 slopes toward outlet 50 so that liquidsaccumulating in reservoir 38 will readily drain toward outlet 50. In oneembodiment, range 10 may be provided with a grease drawer 52 locatedbeneath outlet 50 such that fluids that drain through outlet 50 arecollected in grease drawer 52. Drawer 52 can be removed easily forcleaning. In some embodiments, drip pans 12, 48 are removable tofacilitate cleaning by allowing the pan to be removed and taken to asink or other location when cleaning is required.

A variety of suitable heat resistant and strong materials can be usedfor monolithic drip pans 12 and 48. However, as those skilled in the artwill readily understand, steel having a coating of porcelain thereon issuitable.

Burner assemblies 30 illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 5 & 6 areadvantageous structures each having two burner heads 54, 56. Thus, onlythree burner assemblies 30 are required to provide six cooking locationson cook top 14. However, it should be understood that separateindividual burner assemblies can be provided for each cooking location.Thus, if six cooking locations are provided on cook top 14, six separateburner assemblies can be used, each having only a single burner headassociated therewith.

Burner heads 54, 56 are substantially annular bodies defining open topannular channels 58, 60, respectively (FIG. 5). Burner head covers 62,64 (FIG. 6) are provided on heads 54, 56, respectively. Each cover 62,64 has a plurality of apertures 66 therein through which a mixture ofcombustible gas and primary combustion air is emitted. For clarity, onlysome apertures 66 and not all apertures 66 are identified with areference numeral in FIG. 6.

Burner assembly 30 has a single piece, monolithic casting forming afirst venturi 68 and a second venturi 70 together with burner heads 54,56. The monolithic casting of burner assembly 30 can be provided withfeet, projections or the like to settle into depressions 46, forlocating and supporting burner assembly 30 in drip pan 12. First venturi62 and second venturi 64 provide a flow of gas and primary combustionair for combustion at burner heads 54, 56, respectively, in front andback locations, respectively, on cook top 14. As known to those skilledin the art, each venturi 68, 70 is aligned with and supported by adifferent control valve 20 to receive gas therefrom when the controlvalve 20 is opened to allow gas to flow therethrough. As illustrated,first venturi 68 and second venturi 70 are configured with burner heads54, 56 to swirl the combustion mixture in opposite directions withrespect to each other. In the embodiment shown, first venturi 68 isconfigured with head 54 to swirl the gas in a clockwise direction, andsecond venturi 70 is configured with head 56 to swirl the combustion gasin a counter-clockwise direction. It should be understood that therotational directions within heads 54, 56 can be reversed or can be bothin the same direction, either clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Each burner head 54, 56 is provided with a small standing flame or pilotlight to ignite the gas mixture at burner head 54, 56 when control valve20 is opened. Thus, one pilot light system is provided for each burnerassembly 30, and includes a first pilot gas tube 72 and a second pilotgas tube 74 having pilot burners at ends thereof operatively associatedwith burner heads 54, 56, respectively. A secondary air flow restrictorplate 76 is provided in the central opening of each burner head 54, 56,and defines a slot 78 for holding pilot tubes 72, 74.

Each burner assembly 30 and its associated pilot light system of pilottube 72, 74 are mutually joined and can be installed in and removed fromcook top 14 in unison. Thus, cleaning monolithic drip pans 12, 48 isfacilitated in that the drip pan is completely exposed. Sincedepressions 46 locate and support burner assemblies 30, re-assembly isquicker than with known configurations in which burner assemblies andpilot light systems are separate, requiring separate, individual removaland re-installation.

In the assembled range 10, with burner assemblies 30 positioned by drippan 12, a burner bowl 80 is provided around each burner head 54, 56.Thus, in the configuration shown having six burner heads 54, 56 providedby three burner assemblies 30, six burner bowls 80 are provided. Grates32 are provided on top of burner bowls 80 for supporting cooking vessels(not shown). One or more support 82 (FIG. 6) is provided beneath burnerbowls 80 and grates 32, with the one or more support 82 engaging frame22. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, supports 82 engage front andrear channel members 84, 86 of frame 22, and are readily removabletherefrom for cleaning. Supports 82 are spaced from side walls 88 ofdrip pan 12. Burner bowls 80 and grates 32 are held between a side wall88 and a support 82, and between the two spaced supports 82.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate an advantageous embodiment of a grate 90. Onegrate 90 is provided above each burner head 54, 56. Each grate 90includes an outer frame 92 and a plurality of vessel supporting arms 94.Arms 94 extend inwardly from frame 92 and have distal segments 96 angledwith respect to base segments 98 thereof. The tips of distal segments 96together define a circle of which distal segments 96 are non-radial. Itshould be understood that other types of grates also can be used.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, lower edges 100 of flame facing surfaces arechamfered. By chamfering lower flame facing edges 100, significanthorizontal surfaces are eliminated, which could collect spillage.Further, the lower chamfered surfaces 100 allow flames to rise smoothlytherearound, uninterrupted toward a vessel supported thereon for rapidheating of the vessel and contents within the vessel.

Grate 90 includes an integral burner bowl portion 102 below arms 94, sothat a separate burner bowl 80 is not required. Combining the grate andburner bowl into a single piece reduces the number of separatecomponents that must be removed and re-installed during cleaning.

The present invention provides a range that can be disassembled andre-assembled quickly and easily for cleaning. The design of the dripplan facilitates through cleaning by eliminating crevices that cancollect spillage.

Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope ofthe present invention. It is understood that the invention disclosed anddefined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more ofthe individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/ordrawings. All of these different combinations constitute variousalternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments describedherein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention andwill enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. Theclaims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to theextent permitted by the prior art.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

1. A cooking range comprising: a monolithic drip pan defining a seamlessreservoir having a bottom and sides, said bottom defining anintermediate projection rising into said reservoir, with curvedtransitions between said bottom and said sides, between said bottom andsaid intermediate projection and between adjacent sides; a plurality ofburners above said drip pan, said burners being detached from whilesupported on said drip pan, said drip pan of sufficient size to span anarea beneath said burners; burner locating and supporting configurationsin said drip pan including burner receiving and locating depressions insaid sides and in said intermediate projection; at least one grate aboveat least one of said burners for supporting cooking vessels; and said atleast one grate and said plurality of burners being removable from saidrange separately and independently from said drip pan, and said drip panbeing exposed for cleaning while remaining in said range upon removal ofsaid at least one grate and said plurality of burners.
 2. The cookingrange of claim 1, said burners each including at least one venturi and aburner head supported on said drip pan.
 3. The cooking range of claim 1,said burners each including two venturis and associated burner headssupported on said pan.
 4. The cooking range of claim 3, said rangeincluding three said burners.
 5. The cooking range of claim 1, said drippan bottom defining a drain outlet, with said bottom sloping toward saidoutlet, and said range further including a removable catch basin beneathsaid drain outlet.
 6. The cooking range of claim 1, said pan beingsteel.
 7. The cooking range of claim 6, said pan having an interiorsurface coated with porcelain.
 8. The cooking range of claim 1, eachsaid burner including first and second venturis formed as a monolithicstructure, each said first and second venturi having a burner headassociated therewith.
 9. A drip pan for a cooking range having aplurality of burner assemblies, said drip pan comprising: a monolithicbody of sufficient size to span an area beneath the burner assemblies;said monolithic body defining a seamless reservoir for collectingspillage, said reservoir including: a bottom; sides; curved transitionsbetween said bottom and said sides, and between adjacent said sides;said bottom defining an intermediate projection rising into saidreservoir; curved transitions between said bottom and said intermediateprojection; and burner locating and supporting configurations includingburner receiving and locating depressions in said sides and in saidintermediate projection.
 10. The drip pan of claim 9, said bottomdefining a drain outlet.